Written by: Ayman Ragab
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met today in the French city of Evian with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, on the sidelines of the G7 summit meetings.
The official spokesman for the Presidency stated that the President affirmed at the beginning of the meeting his pride in the course of relations with Germany as a major development partner for Egypt, appreciating the existing development cooperation programs with the German side.
He also praised the steps taken to enhance political consultation and elevate relations to the level of a strategic partnership, extending an invitation to the German Chancellor to visit Egypt this year to conduct further discussions on bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries on issues of common interest.
Positive economic growth rates
The President reviewed the efforts made by Egypt to maintain positive economic growth rates despite international and regional geopolitical challenges, stressing Egypt’s interest in developing cooperation with Germany to include non-traditional areas, particularly clean energy and the green transition, as well as vocational training, technical education and the transfer of skilled labor, in a way that contributes to meeting the needs of the German labor market and enhances regular migration pathways in a way that achieves mutual benefit for both sides.
Ambassador Mohamed El Shenawy, the official spokesperson, indicated that the German Chancellor, for his part, appreciated the remarkable momentum that relations between the two countries have witnessed in recent years, especially in terms of economic and trade relations, which deepens the close ties between the two friendly countries. He stressed that his country views Egypt as a strong partner for Germany and the European Union in facing common challenges and achieving stability and economic integration between the two sides of the Mediterranean. He expressed his gratitude for the President’s invitation to visit Egypt and confirmed his eagerness to accept it at the earliest opportunity.
Regional issues of common interest
The official spokesperson stressed that the meeting touched on a number of regional issues of common interest, as the two leaders agreed on the importance of supporting a peaceful solution to the region’s crises, especially the Palestinian issue and the Iranian crisis, in order to achieve security and stability for the countries of the region and preserve the capabilities of the countries and peoples.
In this context, the President stressed the need to maintain the priority of the Palestinian cause and to implement the second phase of the agreement to end the war in the Gaza Strip, noting the efforts made by Egypt in this regard, in coordination with the United States and the mediators, and expressing Egypt’s hope that Germany will support these efforts in order to establish the Palestinian state in accordance with the relevant international legitimacy resolutions.
